Thursday, May 17, 2012

Naska History

The History of NASKA



Although not in name at the time, the NASKA’s seed was planted in 1977 when the executive editor of “Karate Illustrated” Magazine, Renardo Barden, started publishing competitor regional ratings in an attempt to create some order in the world of tournament karate around the country. KI rated competitors in 12 regions across the US. From these regional ratings, KI, through various subjective methods, rated 36 men fighters in 3 categories, Top Twelve Overall, 12-1st Honorable Mention, and 12-2nd Honorable Mention. KI’s ratings system went through many changes in the early years and progressed soon into ratings black belt men, women and children in form, weapons, and fighting. A few years later, KI began rating tournaments as well, awarding them ratings of A, B or C according to 11 set criteria. These criteria were: 1) Level of Fighting Competition; 2) Level of Form Competition; 3) Level of Organization; 4) Level of Hospitality; 5) Quality of Hotel accommodations; 6) Style Prejudice; 7) Regional Shaft Factor; 8) Punctuality; 9) Tournament Venue; 10) Transportation to Tournament Site; 11) Overall Size of Event. Of the ten original tournaments KI gave the top rating of “A” too, only today’s “Battle of Atlanta” and “Diamond Nationals” were among them.

Although Karate Illustrated Magazine did exceptional work in their achievement of organizing and rating tournament karate, in 1986 they decided that 9 years were enough and discontinued the tournament/competitor ratings service. By 1986, most of the current World NASKA tournaments had become part of the KI nucleus of “A” rated tournaments. Not wanting to see the ratings system end, the promoters of the “A” rated tournaments agreed to stay together and keep the rating system alive. The promoters of the Battle of Atlanta, Diamond Nationals, US Open, Ocean State Grand Nationals, New England Open, AKA Grand Nationals, Blue Grass Nationals, US Capitol Classics and a few other tournaments that are no longer around, all joined forces and created, “NASKA” (North American Sport Karate Association). NASKA has added additional world tournaments throughout the years and now has 15 World tour tournaments along with National and State tournaments as well. (See tournament the section for more details)

Since 1986, NASKA has continued to sanction the World’s most prestigious karate tournaments to give karate’s greatest athletics a forum to display their talents. The following lists of champions are only a few of the great tournament karate athletics to inspire and amaze audiences on NASKA’s grand tournament stages in the past 25 years:

 

Forms and Weapons:

Fighting:

Amy Wisdon

Alex Lane

Andrew Cabilan

Alvin Prouder

Anthony Atkins

Anthony Hollaway

Anthony Marquez

Antony Price

Anthony DeMarco

Arlene Limas

Arnold Chon

Billy Blanks

Caitlin Dechele

BJ Carnahan

Carmichael Simon

Bobby Harris

Casey Marks

Bobby Tucker

Charlie Lee

Brain Ruth

Chris Cassamassa

Brenda Hund

Cynthia Rothrock

Chavella Aaron

Dale Kirby

Damon Gilbert

Daniel Sterling

Dan Anderson

Dave Macomber

David Deaton

Deanna Bivins

Dottie White

Dennis Brown

E.J. Greer

DX

Elias Lemon

Elsa Cordero

Gerald Dawson

Ernie Reyes

Greg Betlach

Ernie Reyes Jr.

Hakim Alston

Gabe Reynaga

Hamed Firouzi

George Chung

Herb Johnson

Helen Chung

Jadi Tention

Hosung Pak

James Hobby

Hoyoung Pak

Jason Tankson

Jean Frenette

Jerry Fontanez

Jimmy Pham

Jerry Prince

John Chung

Jessey Thorton

John Su

Joey Greenhalgh

Jon Valera

Joey Shiflett

Joshua Kahan

Jose Pacheco

Kalman Csoka

John Longstreet

Kathy Quan

Keith Vitali

Karen Sheperd

Ken Eubanks

Keith Hirabayashi

Linda Denley

Kevin Thompson

Mallory Woods

Larry Lamb

Marty Eubanks

Lauren Kearney

Mike Genova

Lorie Lantrip

Mike Green

Marc Canonizado

Mike Pombeiro

Marcel Jones

Mike Smith

Matt Mullins

Mitzi Tyler

Michael Chaturantabut

Nicki Carlson-Lee

Michele Krasnoo

Pedro Xavier

Mike Bernardo

Preston Clements

Mindy Kelly

Ray McCallum

Ming Liu

Raymond Daniels

Pei Yun Li

Reggie Perry

Peter Morales

Rhonda Alexander

Phillip Wong

Richard Plowden

Richard Brandon

Robert Harris

Rocky Dirico

Ross Levine

Scott Wu

Ryan McGriff

Sonny Onowo

Sammy Montgomery

Stefanie Flowers

Scorpion Burrage

Steven Ho

Shah Alston

Steve Terada

Steve Curran

Steve Torres

Steve “Nasty” Anderson

Stuart Quan

Steve Fisher

Suzanne Wancket

Steve Perry

Taylor Lautner

Sue Lomasney

William Cornell

Terry Creamer

Tony Young